Emil Bretschneider Ordre des livres

“It has been attempted in the following pages to supply the want of a work of reference, in which botanists dealing with Chinese plants preserved in European herbariums might find some particulars regarding the history of these collections, of which the labels affixed to the herbarium specimens generally give only an imperfect account.” Emil Bretschneider (1833–1901) became famous among researchers for his valuable contributions to the field of sinology. His versatile approach – he was a physician and botanist as well as a sinologist – and his familiarity with Chinese literature distinguished him from his colleagues, many of whom were unable to read sources firsthand. Combining his abilities in botany and sinology, Bretschneider comprises an extensive history of Chinese plants and how they found their way to Europe. From the earliest accounts by Marco Polo, to the groundbreaking work of Carl Linnaeus, to the period of the Opium wars between England and China, this volume covers the works of European botanists up until 1860. Bretschneider does not limit his scope to China proper, but includes Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, and other regions, making this a uniquely comprehensive guide to European research on Asian plants.

„Almost all the celebrated capitals of the ancient kingdoms in Europe, western Asia and India, have been the subject of more or less extensive critical investigation by European antiquaries, and bulky works have been published relating to these matters. But with respect to China our scholars seem to be quite ignorant as to the remains of this ancient civilization; and even regarding Peking, one of the best-known places of the Middle Kingdom, and its classical soil, very little is known.” Emil Bretschneider (1833–1901) became famous among researchers for his valuable contributions to the field of sinology. His versatile approach – he was a physician and botanist as well as a sinologist – and his familiarity with Chinese literature distinguished him from his colleagues, many of whom were unable to read sources firsthand. In this book, he presents his account of the history of Peking, where he was stationed as a physician from 1866–1883. Backed by historical sources as well as the reports of the first European to see the Chinese capital, Marco Polo, this work exemplifies Bretschneider’s unique style of research.